Animated toy



Jan. 26 1926.

C. l. SWEET ANH/MED TOY Filed August 8, 1925 gfx/ventola (f I. SW6-ef atoznu;

Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

PATENT QFFECE.

CLIFFORD I. SWEET, 0F HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

ANIMATED TOY.

`.Application filed August 8, 1925. Serial No. 49,089.

1,0 all 'whom t may concern.: 4

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD I. SWEET, a citizen of 'the United States, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Animated Toys, of which vthe following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to toys, and particularly tov that class of toys including a wheel supported body adapted to be pulled along and having figures thereon which are automatically caused to move as the toy proceeds on its way.

The general object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character which is very simple and entertaining to children and which has the form of a torpedo-shaped motor car having a plurality of figures disposed apparently within the car, the car being provided with means whereby as it moves forward the figures are caused to alternately rise and fall.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is so constructed thatv it may be very cheaply made at a minimum of expense and yet secure the effectiveness which is necessary.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toy constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the toy with the figures in place;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof;

Figure 4 is an under side plan view;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of Figure 3;

Referring to this drawing, 10 designates a body having the similitude of a torpedo shaped car, it being pointed at its rear end and blunt at its forward end and having a cord or other means, indicated at 11, whereby the body may be drawn. Disposed in bearings at the front of the body is a transverse axle 12 and the front wheels 13. This axle 12 is cranked at its middle, as at- 14. The rear of the body is supported by a transverse aXle 15 cranked at its middle and having supporting wheels 16. Both of these axles are supported by U-shaped brads 17 driven into the bottom of the body.

The body is formed with three or more vertical bores 18, and mounted for reciprocationin these bores are the three figures 19, 20 and 21. Each figure 19'and 20 has a body portion which fits the corresponding bore 18 very snugly but permits ready reciprocation therein. Each figure is cylindrical at its lower end and formed with a longitudinally extending slot 22. Pivoted within this slot upon a transverse pin 23 is a vertically extending connecting rod 24. rfhe connecting rod for the figure 19 extends down to the crank 15, the connecting rod for the figure 21 extends down tothe crank 14, and thus these two figures are reciprocated. The connecting rod .g 20, however, extends downwardto a lever which is pivoted upon a transversely extending pivot pin 26. This lever at its forward end is longitudinally slotted, as-at 27, and the cranked portion 15 engages within this slot, while the connecting rod 24 engages with the forward end of the lever 25. The body l()` between the rearmost bore and the bore for the figure 20 is longitudinally slotted, as at 28, and the upper portion of this lever fits within this slot and reciprocates therein. The pivot pin 26 yis formed by a transversely extending piece of wire having re-bent ends which are driven into the bottom of the body. Ity will be obvious now that as this device is 4drawn over the ground the figures will reciprocate vertically and under some circumstances the figure 2O will descend as the figures 19 and 21 are ascending, or if the front wheels of the toy are lifted from thefloor and then dropped back while the rear wheels continue to revolve, the alternation will be changed and figure 21 may under these circumstances ascend simultaneously with ligure 20.

It will be noted that the figures 19, 2O and 21 may be formed by taking cylindrical rods of wood or like material and turning them in a. shaper to provide the cylindrical body of the figure, or the head may be separate from the body and attached thereto in any manner, this being merely to make the bodies convenient for painting. The head is painted to represent a face and the figures are, of course, to be gaily colored, as is the body. The bores 18 may be readily bored on a jig or like machine and the bores extend clear through the body so that thus these bores may be very readily made and while the body is being formed upon the Shaper, if desired. The kerf 28 supports the lever 25 against any lateral bending strain 2,4 for the figure which would tend to get this lever out o shape and cause it to bind, and by kering the lower ends of the figures, as at 22, they are held in proper position with relation to the connecting rod 24 so that the figures will not tend to rotate but will keep their positions with their faces forward. This kert' likewise tends to prevent any bending of the corresponding connecting rod.

It will be seen that a toy of this kind is very simple, that it may be cheaply made, and that it is very attractive to children I claim 1. A toy of the character described including a solid body having cranked axles and wheels supporting the axles, the body being formed with vertical bores extending from the top oi? the body downward to the bottom of the body, a plurality of figures having cylindrical lower portions simulating the bodies the figures and itting said bores and reciprocatable therein, and means operatively connecting said cranked axles to said iigures and reciprocating the same in said bores as the figure is drawn over the ground.

2. A toy o1"- the character described comprising an elongated solid body having vertical bores extending through the body from top to bottom thereof, transversely extending axles mounted upon the bottom of the body, each axle being cranked at its middle, two of said bores extending down to a point immediately above the crank of the corre spending axle, figures having elongated cylindrical base portions operating within said bores and simulating the bodies of said figures, connecting rods connecting two of Said figures to the cranks of the two axles respectively, a lever pivoted upon the bottom of the body, and a connecting rod connecting one of said figures to said lever and the other end of said lever being operatively engaged by the crank of the other axle.

3. A toy of the character described comprising a solid body simulating a motor car and having three vertical bores extending therethrough, a pair ot' transversely extending axles mounted upon the body, each axle being cranked and the crank being disposed immediately below two ot said bores, elongated figures cylindrical in cross section and operating within said bores, the base of each ligure being radially kerfed, a connecting rod having its ends disposed in said kert' and pivoted to the figure and extending downward through said bores, the connecting rods ot two ot said ligures being connected to the cranks o said axles, the bottom of the body between two of said bores being formed with a longitudinally extending kert, a lever partially disposed in said kei-f and pivoted to the body, one end of the lever being slotted and receiving one of said cranks and the connecting rod of the third figure being pivotally connected to said lever.

s. A toy of the character described comprising a solid body having two vertically disposed bores extending from top to bottom of the body and a kerf connecting said bores on the bottom of the body, a lever pivoted in said kert and having its ends extending into said bores, a cranked axle mounted upon the bottom ot' the body and extending across one of said bores and extending through the slot in the lever, vertically reciprocatable iigures disposed within said bores and having transversely extending kerfs, and connecting rods pivoted in said kerfs, one connecting rod being connected to the extremity of said lever, the other connecting rod being operatively connected to said crank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

CLIFFORD I. SWEET. 

